Maypole
by Miss Pavalova
Summary: NaLu Week, Day Three: Ribbon; He was surprised when he saw the stoic ribbons dancing about. His eyes were captured by the singular red fabric and his eyes trailed down it until it hit a delicate, pale hand. He mentally slapped himself – it was ridiculous to think that the ribbons had moved of their own accord. Of course someone was guiding it!


Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail in any way, shape or form.

Third day, third story. I haven't been this active in writing stories… ever. I know it's not necessarily obligatory to do every single prompt for NaLu week, but it's my own personal challenge to do each one. It's tough thinking of stories to match each prompt, but the feeling of writing again is just… It's nice really.

I was stumped for this day's word, to be honest. I was thinking some kind of high school type AU, but I was thinking of using that kind of setting for one of the other prompts so… The setting for this fic is like, Medieval-ish, due to me thinking of maypoles for this prompt. The characters are possibly a tad out of sorts, with the both of them struck with a bit of wanderlust (their attitudes seem to have partially swapped somewhere along the way I think). Oh well…

I hope you enjoy!

NaLu Week, Day Three: Ribbon

* * *

**Maypole**

Never in his life would he have regretted the wanderlust that struck him when he was a boy. He knew his mother found him insane, wanting to flounce off and see lands unknown. But a part of him knew that a mundane existence would leave him unhappy, so one Summer's night, after bidding his family goodnight, he grabbed his packed satchel and snuck out the window. Not once did he regret it.

He'd gone East first, discovering the fanciful and mysterious cultures that they held there. After immersing himself in the Eastern civilisation, friends he'd made spoke of the bizarre West, where civilisation was paradoxically trapped in the future and past. Curiosity ignited, he ventured forth, bidding farewell to the strange lands that he travelled within for the past two years to head off for his new adventure.

He had come across what his previous companions had said about the West being trapped in the future, and the sights that greeted him was astounding, but it was his first meeting with the West of the past that caught him dumbfounded, heart struck with rapid staccato beating.

The first thing that caught his eye was a tall pole that stood within the middle of the town's centre. The pole appeared to be swathed in wreaths of green, flowers dotting the leaves to create vivid colour. Connecting the top of the pole to the dusty earth were ribbons of all shades, swaying in the breeze like flower stems. The town appeared to be lively and festive, and he silently thanked the old whimsical man who told him to visit the villages that excitedly prepared for the Midsummer.

After settling into the town's inn, where the innkeeper greeted him with a jovial message of his fortunate timing, he stepped outside into the dusk and focused on what they called the 'maypole'. He was surprised when he saw the stoic ribbons dancing about. The backdrop for the graceful ribbons was the setting sun, and the bright colours of the ribbons were illuminated by the bonfires that were being created by the workmen a little ways off. His eyes were captured by the singular red fabric – red being his favourite colour – and his eyes trailed down it until it hit a delicate, pale hand. He mentally slapped himself – it was ridiculous to think that the ribbons had moved of their own accord. Of course someone was guiding it! His eyes trailed further, across the slender arm fitted under a white long-sleeve. Said sleeve was part of a simple gown, his eyes roving across the body hidden underneath. As his eyes moved upwards, he saw golden hair let loose freely, and before he was aware, chocolate-brown eyes met him from across the way and had him frozen.

The eyes left him after the momentary glance but he felt as if they continued to stare at him. Captivated by her mere look, he continued watching her as she glided around the maypole, weaving her way amongst the other girls with the grace of a noble. In time with a minstrel that played a light tune, her bare feet stepped along, and he watched her mouth open and the tinkling sound of laughter come out like chiming bells in the wind. His heart clenched with an unfamiliar yet delightful pain, and he knew that all of his travels had not prepared him for that singular moment.

He kept watching her until the dance ended and all the ribbons had twirled round the maypole to its end. He hadn't even noticed the situation until the girl that captured his attentions was approaching him with a kind smile. He was a floundering fish out of water as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I heard there was a mysterious traveller around," she began, tone playful. Her eyes shone with curiosity as she watched him. "Wasn't tough to spot you with that mess of pink you have for hair though."

His eyes narrowed. The girl had hit dangerous territory – his hair colour. "Oi. Lay off it, will ya? Least I've got hair. Makes me different from everyone else!"

She giggled, her eyes drifting from his hair to meet his eyes. "Yeah. Different. Special, even? So traveller, what brings you round these parts? We're just a small village celebrating our Summer solstice. Nothing different from every other place out there celebrating."

He tilted his head, wondering what put a damper on her spirits. "An old man from the main city told me to visit the villages, and this was the first one I found."

Her smile grew wistful, and her eyes left him to stare above them. "Must be great, y'know. Seeing what the world out there is like, instead of being trapped in some small place like this, dancing around with ribbons like you were a little girl," she said, but it seemed as if the message were mainly for herself. She appeared to snap out of her daze and note what words were pouring out of her to some stranger. "Don't mind me though. Don't wanna ruin the festive mood we've got here. I'll be seeing you when I see you, traveller."

She pivoted on her heel and began to saunter off, and a part of him felt indescribably strange as she left. "Hey!" he cried out, and the blonde girl turned back, surprise etched on her face. "I'll see you tomorrow then? I'll tell you all about the places East of this little village you've got."

The brightness of her smile easily outshone the glaring suns that greeted him in the height of Summer.

**..O..**

He'd packed his satchel, swift with experience. The innkeeper seemed emotional letting him go. Frankly, he was surprised he stayed in the village for so long, but he remembered warm chocolate eyes and witty comments that reminded him _exactly_ why he remained.

The villagers that grew familiar with him sent their farewells as he began walking the path that led back to the city. He was confused when they begun cheering for him, but then realised the answer once a hand grasped his. He was then surging forward, with a laughing girl towing him along.

"Don't be all slow on me, traveller! You may have seen the world out there but I haven't, and no way am I wasting any moment in doing so because you move like an old man!" she called out teasingly, and he grumbled. He was amused at her attitude, of course, but that hadn't necessarily meant he was accustomed to it.

As they grew farther away from the village and into the isolated forest growth, she became less rambunctious – more thoughtful. She had let go of him and let him take the lead, not wanting to be lost the first day of her 'new' life. He'd wanted to mention how getting lost was half the fun in succumbing to wanderlust, but then noted that she'd learn along the way.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you," she said, startling him with her sudden words. He inclined his head back and she offered him a smile. "Of all the villages, you came to ours. And of all the ribbons you could've been staring at, it was the red one. Only the day before, I'd had a blue one, but it tore in the wind so they tied me up the red. I'm guessing red's your favourite colour then, with how much you were staring at it. Unless, you want to flatter me and say that you were captivated by me, because I wouldn't mind."

He shook his head at her flightiness. What kind of girl had he wrapped himself around? But he entertained her with a tale that flittered through his mind as she had spoken. "In one country back in the East, there was this one legend that had all the girls going crazy over the colour red. It was said that a red string of fate connected two people that destiny wanted to be together – lovers, I guess. It sounded pretty silly though, so I didn't really pay attention to it."

Her smile grew amused, and as he turned back to focus on the path in front of them, she whimsically murmured. "Maybe our red string of fate had been that red ribbon."

The staccato beats resumed once again, and he fought against the part of him the wanted to mention his same sentiments. If such a tale was true, then he knew that they had more than enough time to prove it.


End file.
